//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Nightmare // Story: Aftermath Of The Formal // by Shimmeringsun //------------------------------// It was late on before Luna and Sunset both headed to bed. Luna wanted to make sure Sunset was settle enough. They were both exhausted after everything that happened. Sunset couldn’t sleep, no matter how much she tried, constantly moving from side to side, her mind was going crazy with thoughts... dark thoughts... Thoughts of everything that had happen in her life and what came of it. She... she wished she could just sleep forever and never wake up. These thoughts were eating her alive. Every dark thought In her head was making her want to scream. Her body was shaking. Hugging her knees. Letting out slient sobs. She started to think about her time in Equestria, back when she was living with the Princess. She remembered everything, she wanted to be a young filly again when everything seemed to be fine and days seemed better, when she got along with the princess. She was such a good student back then done everything she was told to do by Princess Celestia but it wasn’t until then... When the princess showed her the mirror... that damn stupid mirror... which showed her potential that made everything change. It all failed since then. The relationship she once shared with the princess; they were so close, it was almost like a mother/daughter bond. But, when she knew that she too could become a princess, be Celestia’s equal, standing by her side. She wanted to prove she was worthy enough to her so she did everything she could. Learning all about magic and passing every test that was given her way, she wanted to make Celestia proud. Maybe then, Celestia would finally then realise she was worthy enough for to be an alicorn just like Celestia, then maybe, she would be adopted into the royal family just like Cadance did after being acsended. However, after seeing the mirror Sunset grew more and more curious about it and wondered why it showed her potential, she constantly asked Celestia questions about it but she would always refuse to tell Sunset because she thought Sunset wasn’t ready for that kind of advance magic. This then only made Sunset go behind the Princess back in order to find out more she broke into the resticted section of the library, the princess found out eventually what Sunset had be doing which led them to the pair to have a massive argument, Sunset demanding Celestia to make her a Princess and demanding to be told more about the mirror. It led to Celestia kicking Sunset out of the castle because she couldn’t take anymore of Sunset’s arrogance and didn’t know what to with her anymore. Which, Sunset hated Celestia for, it darkened Sunset’s heart. Sunset only had Celestia; she was a only child, her father wanted nothing to do with her after she moved into the castle with Celestia, casting her aside and letting Celestia deal with her. She was already a troubled filly when she met Celestia, all she wanted was to be shown love and attention all the time because her father never showed her any and when Celestia kicked her out... it broke her. She was only young, completely alone and the only thing she could of done was... run, run away through the portal. However, after being blasted by the elements, Sunset’s felt Celestia’s pain. The pain she caused her when running away. She lost someone yet again that she cared about... Sunset then started to feel bad for what happened that night; the pain lingered in her mind and it was starting to taunt her. She knew was horrible to Celestia, she wished she could take it all back... everything she said, everything she done... she wished she could tell Celestia how sorry she is. “I’m so sorry” Sunset mumbled out in sleep, “im so sorry, Celestia...” She thought Celestia didn’t care about her, their relationship only got more and more distant as Celestia was always busy with her other duties and sometimes having to cancel Sunset’s lessons which, only left Sunset feeling lonely. All she wanted was attention from Celestia. The one pony Sunset thought the world of. If only if she was here now... beside her... telling her everything was okay... She wondered what her life would of been like if she never let her arrogance and pride eat her up. Why has her life turned out like this? Why does everything always go wrong? She always just blows up everything she touches... ‘I can’t take this anymore.. I don’t deserve to be here.’ Someone In her mind was talking to her, it was laughing at her. “Oh sunny, don’t you see? You’re such a fool... how could you of thought that this would all go to plan and you would of been able to take over Celestia! I mean, that’s just laughable! HaHAhaHA” This was Sunset’s demon speaking to her. It was mocking her. She was a complete joke. Her plan failed. She was a complete failure in her mind... “I guess you weren’t Celestia’s prized pupil after all! You look pathetic! You think these humans will help you? Please! You don’t deserve it! You deserve to root! Twilight should have never pulled you out of that crater and offered you friendship! HA! Shimmer! You are such a waste of space...” “...no...no...s-s-stop...” Sunset mumbling under her breath. This was all getting too much for her. She wanted it to stop. Her mind... it was going out of control, she had no idea what to do. She just layed there hugging herself tightly gripping herself. “-I’m s-sorry! S-sorry! Make it stop!” “Oh but it won’t! I’m YOU! You created me and now I’m In your mind! Telling you how it is... you will never get away from me!” “No... not me... I’m not a monster!” “Don’t be silly, little girl! You are and you will always will be. No one wants you around don’t you see? They’re scared of you.. they will never be your friends... you will be alone forever.” ”... don’t want to be alone...h-help me...” Luna was in her bedroom, she couldn’t sleep either, she tried to drift off but she all she could think about was Sunset. She didn’t know what she wanted to do. She knew she wanted to help her but would Sunset accept? Could Luna do this? Could she make Sunset happy? Could Sunset confine in Luna? Will she change? Would she mess this up?. All these thoughts were wracking her brain, It worried her seeing Sunset so broken after what happened like it was almost Sunset lost apart of herself. That same broken look Sunset had on her face reminder Luna of her past, her own downfall...her jealously taking over. All because it was over her old sister. Celestia got all the praise, her being the popular one in high school, getting good grades, more love from her parents, their school peers, even their teachers, just about everyone liked Celestia more than Luna. Luna being the younger sister, she had more of an expectation to uphold to be like her sister. But, that wasn’t the case, Luna was more asocial than Celestia in high school, Luna preferred being on her own, reading comics and playing video games, she was into more alternative stuff, she liked rock music and dress more like a goth, always wore black and her face hiding behind her hair; she was shy and didn’t deal with people very well. Very unlike Celestia who was confident and a lot of people went to her for help. She wasn’t involved in any of the school clubs like Celestia was, Celestia was captain of the cheerleading team and the schools president. A lot of people looked up to Celestia and wanted to be her. When the sisters were in high school, Celestia didn’t pay much attention to Luna, being distant with her almost and ignore her during school, Luna thought Celestia was embarrassed by her. Sometimes it was hard to tell that they were actullay related, they were both so different. Luna hated Celestia for how popular she was... she wished it was her. She wanted to feel loved. Most of the student body saw Luna as a easy target and pick on her a lot because she would never stood up for herself. Even Celestia herself would never stand up for her. This making Luna grow even more hate for her sister because everyday she saw Luna getting picked on and never once stood up for her. She wanted to show Celestia. Show her up and take everything away from her, making her feel humiliated in front of everyone. Luna had it all planned. She was going to take it all away from Celestia... But, one night when things got really bad for Luna, she had a horrible day at school with the other students bullying her. It all got too much for her. She had enough. It was the final straw. As soon as she got home that day, she went to her room and just cried... she found a bottle of vodka in the cuboard; it must of been her parents and she took it. Drinking the bottle until she was fully drunk... it was a Friday night she could remember everything. Celestia was at a house party with her friends, her parents were away, and all Luna did was sit in her room in darkness crying while she downed her sorrows in a bottle of vodka. She kept on thinking about everything, everything that has happened to her... What her fellow students put her through, she wished she could make them feel them same way she felt... she wanted them to feel the pain... the pain that was causing her heart to darken, she got angry at Celestia for not helping her when she needed it most, her own sister not being there for her, she loved Celestia... she wanted to like be her. They were close when they were younger but Celestia she got so... distant and caught up with everything else. Luna’s thoughts were becoming more and more dark, she knew Celestia left her car outside because a boy was picking her up to take her to the party. Luna had an idea, a really dumb idea but it was the only thing she kept thinking about... She went into Celestia’s room taking her car keys, stumbling outside to the front of the house, getting inside of Celestia’s car, she drove herself to the party Celestia was at while still drinking a bottle of vodka... leading herself into the party to look for Celestia, Once she found Celestia she let it all out. Everything was out in the open. All her feelings of neglect and feeling unloved by her older sister. It led to the pair having a massive argument in front of everyone at the party; the two sisters had said words that cut one another right through to the bone. Luna couldn’t take it anymore, she was too upset. Storming outside of the party she ran out the house in tears, Celestia chasing after her, having a fight on the street, Luna getting into the car, starting it up... She knocked Celestia down on the street, Everyone who was at the party saw what happened. Luna ended up getting kicked out from her parents house, she got sent to jail for three years as she didn’t have her driving license yet and was influenced under the use of alochol. She almost killed Celestia, her own sister, all because of jealously and, the funny thing was, Celestia ending up forgiving her sister for what happened after being apart for so long. “LUNA!” It was then Luna was jolted from her thoughts, after hearing Sunset shout her name, she got up from her bed and quickly went into the guest room to find Sunset sitting up right, finding it hard to breathe, breaking out in cold sweats. “Sunset, you need to breathe. It’s ok. I’m here now.” Luna quickly walking over to Sunset’s side, “Everything is ok.” “-H-help...” Sunset said, her voice was shaking while her body rocking back and froth. Luna sat down next to Sunset, placing her hand on her shoulder, rubbing her thumb in circles, “Are you having nightmares?” Sunset nodded. Slowly leaning into Luna’s shoulder for comfort, “... I can’t take it anymore... stop... make it...stop.” “Stop what Sunset? What happened?” She asked worriedly, “The... demon... it’s... it’s speaking to me.” “Sunset, whatever your mind is telling you isn’t true. Don’t listen to it. Don’t let it eat you away. You’re ok. I’ll protect you from it, ok?” Luna said softly, she put her arm around Sunset, nudging Sunset gently over so she to could get up to lay on the bed. Sunset couldn’t stop shaking. Luna could feel it against the side of her. She kept stroking Sunset’s hair to make her more relaxed, “Please, make it stop. I-I’m sorry.” “Shhh, You’re fine. As long as I’m here it won’t hurt you. Everything will be fine.” This was making Luna becoming more worried, seeing Sunset like this. It broke her heart. She too had many nightmares from a traumatic experience. She knew what it felt like to be that terrified. She couldn’t let Sunset deal with these all on her own. She had her arm wrapped around Sunset shoulder tightly, her head leaning on Sunset’s, her eyes closed wishing Sunset didn’t have to deal with this. Sunset was becoming more relaxed after Luna continued to stroke her hair, Luna could see that Sunset keep closing her eyes trying to drift of but being too scared to fall back asleep, “Sunset, try get some sleep. I will be right here if you need me.” “...promise?” “I promise.” At that Sunset fell asleep next to Luna’s side, Luna lay next to her, just watching her. Making sure she was ok. Even just looking at Sunset, she could tell she looked emotionally drained. Luna layed her head on Sunset’s shoulder while her arm still around her just for a while until she felt it was ok to leave to go back to bed. Luna got up from the bed, looking at Sunset one last time, placing her hand on her forehead, she then went into her own bedroom to finally get some sleep.